Elena remembered the adolescent who had led the raid, taking her and the others captive. His move had been foolhardy and dangerous, but she guessed why he’d done it. Whether or not it was his intention, by seizing her he’d effectively drawn the Norsemen away from the settlement and protected his sister.
But what Elena didn’t understand was what had happened to her husband after the ship had sailed. “She took you as her captive, didn’t she?”
Styr nodded. To her surprise, he showed no anger at being the prisoner of a woman. A thousand questions surged within her, to know what had happened. Whether he’d been hurt...or why he had been taken.
Instead, she caught a flash of guilt upon his face.
No. She didn’t want to think that he’d found someone else to love. Not in this short a time. But her mind couldn’t conjure up a good reason why he would embrace the woman.
He stayed for you, her brain reminded her.He let her go.
Was it enough? She didn’t doubt that he’d stayed because of the baby. But if there hadn’t been a child, would he have divorced her? The icy hollowness spread within her, the fear growing.
“Do you...have feelings for her?” She was trying not to sound accusatory, but Styr wouldn’t look at her. That, in itself, told her a great deal.
“Why would you ask me something like that? I’ve only known her since we arrived here.”
Again, he was behaving as if it meant nothing. “I have eyes, Styr. I saw you with her.”
I saw you holding her as if you didn’t want to let go, her heart raged.
“She left with her brothers. I told her farewell.” He shrugged it off as if it didn’t matter.
Her anger began to take hold, for she knew he wasn’t telling her the whole truth. How could he act as if nothing had happened? “You were embracing her.”
He spun and for the first time, his dark eyes met hers. “Nothing happened between us.”
The flash of his temper only ignited her frustration. “Then why are you so angry?” she shot back. She wasn’t a blind fool who couldn’t see what was before her. “If she were nothing to you, you wouldn’t be acting this way.”
It took an effort, but she pulled back her rage and forced herself to remain calm. Inside, she was hurting from the unanswered questions and the invisible wounds to her faith in him. She was finding it difficult to trust anything he said.
He let out a breath and changed the subject. “I heard from Onund that you jumped from the ship.” She recognized the tactic, understanding that he didn’t want to fight about this. And neither did she.
Elena nodded. “We were attacked, and there was only one chance to escape. Ragnar helped me reach the shore.” He’d saved her from drowning, even though he’d been wounded himself. His courage had kept her from breaking apart, giving her strength to endure the past few days.
“Both of you could have died,” Styr said.
It was true and she fought back the tears, just remembering it. Not only because of what might have happened to Ragnar and her...but also to her baby.
“I wasn’t about to let myself be sold into slavery,” she told him. “This might be the only baby I’ll ever have.”
Styr’s expression fell, and he let out a sigh. He said nothing for a time, but his attention shifted to the boat disappearing in the mist.
There was nothing worse than knowing that someone no longer loved you. If he ever had.
Finally, he spoke. “Do you know how long I searched for you? I thought both of you had died.”
The worry in his voice granted her a measure of comfort and she came to stand behind him. Her heart was heavy as she spoke. “I didn’t think they would let you live, either. But I’m glad you returned.”
She recognized that he was trying to make peace between them, putting aside the past. If she kept pushing him for answers, it would only damage the fragile reunion between them. Slowly, she walked to stand at his side, trying to lay her apprehensions to rest.
The fragile truce made it hard to converse, and Styr finally led her to walk along the beach while she followed.
“How long have you been here?” he asked.
“Several days. The raiders wounded Ragnar, but he kept me safe.” Her cheeks flushed at the memory of his arms around her only this morning.
The knowledge unraveled part of her anger, for she was not blameless herself. Although she hadn’t betrayed Styr with her feelings, she had kissed Ragnar and craved his touch in a sinful way.
